Whole House Water Filter Recommendations
Before water reaches your faucet, it travels a long path through municipal supplies or private wells. In the process it can pick up naturally occurring and man-made contaminants.
A whole house water filter can help you eliminate them, making your water safer to drink and use in household chores. But which system is best for you?
Activated Carbon Filters
Activated carbon filters are great for well water because they can reduce chlorine, and also help with taste and odor. They filter out contaminants like fungi, bacteria, sediment and rust as well. Carbon is made up of tiny pores that allow it to trap impurities and chemicals. It is often injected with heat and steam before being used in a filter, which increases its surface area and allows it to hold more contaminants.
The first step in determining the best whole house filter for your home is to know which contaminants you are concerned about. This can be determined by submitting water samples to a state-certified laboratory. Once you have the results, you can decide which type of filter is appropriate. Depending on the contaminants found, you will want to look at the filtration method, the number of stages and if it has any additional features such as water softeners or UV lights.
Whether you have city or well water, the contaminants in your water can affect your health. They can be absorbed through your skin, hair, and clothing when you take a shower or do the laundry. This is why it is important to consider getting a whole-house water filter. The most common type of whole-house filter is a carbon-based system. These remove chlorine and some dissolved minerals. They can also remove odors and some volatile organic compounds (VOC).
Reverse Osmosis
Many people don’t like the taste of their tap water. Sometimes this is caused by the disinfectant used to keep bacteria in check. Other times it’s because of minerals or other naturally occurring contaminants that whole house water filter recommendations are harmless but change the water’s flavor. In these cases, a carbon filter may help.
If you’re looking for a more comprehensive solution to your home water problems, consider a reverse osmosis system. This type of system will eliminate a variety of contaminants including Chlorine, Water-soluble Lead, Mercury, Iron and more. They also remove bad odors and improve taste. The RO system should be combined with a sediment pre-filter and activated carbon to prevent membrane fouling. In addition, a water softener should be installed prior to the RO to reduce hardness and prevent scale from clogging appliances in your house.
A Culligan Whole Home RO system, or POE (point of entry) system, will attach to your home’s main water line and ensure your entire household has access to RO filtered water. This system will address a variety of issues from rotten egg smells to rust stains, and offers smart contaminant tracking as well as space-saving designs.
Infrared Filters
There are several types of filters available in whole house systems. The type that works best for you will depend on what contaminants are present in your water. You should identify those contaminants by requesting a copy of your local water quality report. Once you have a list, look for systems that have multiple filtration stages and will remove those specific contaminants.
Activated carbon filters are common in whole house filter systems, as they reduce chemical contaminants that can have dangerous long-term effects. These include chlorine, chloramines, herbicides, pesticides and VOCs. They also reduce odors and taste. This type of filter is ideal for homes with private wells, as it can remove scale and rust.
Sediment filters are the most basic cartridge filter that is often included in a whole home system. These are rated in microns, and they filter out the dirt and sand that can cause a buildup of pressure and disrupt the function of appliances. Look for filters that have a 5 micron rating, as they will be effective at removing most sediments.
Another type of filter is the IR, which blocks out IR light, leaving visible light to pass through. This can be used to create true daytime color or black and white images in infrared cameras. Stay away from Culligan and Rainsoft- they are high priced and use a lot of pressure selling. Go with a smaller local company.
UV Lights
UV light is a type of radiation invisible to whole house water filter factory the human eye that can kill microorganisms. It is often used in sterilization applications for its ability to quickly destroy harmful pathogens in air, water and on surfaces. Unlike UVA and UVB rays that cause skin burns, far UVC rays are not harmful and have been shown to be effective in killing bacteria.
UV rays can also kill contaminants in water like rust, silt and dirt that clog pipes, dishwashers and ice machines. They can also help reduce chlorine, iron, manganese, odors and other chemicals that can cause health issues.
When selecting a whole house water filter system, it is important to consider the flow rate of the system which is how many gallons per minute or day that it can process and maintenance requirements, such as how frequently the filters need to be replaced. It is also recommended to have your water tested by a professional or through home testing kits available at hardware stores.
The iSpring Whole House Water Filtration System is an ideal option for well water as it removes contaminants that can cause brown/orange staining and rotten egg smell. It features industrial-grade components and offers a simple filter change with no wrench required that can be done in under a minute. It also comes with a countdown magnet for your fridge to remind you when it is time to swap out the filter.